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Lee Purcell

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Lee Purcell
Purcell in September 2012
Born
Lee Jeune Williams

(1947-06-15) June 15, 1947 (age 77)
Occupation(s)actress, writer, producer
Years active1970–present
Websitehttp://www.leepurcell.com/

Lee Purcell (born Lee Jeune Williams; June 15, 1947) is an American actress and writer-producer who has starred in films including Mr. Majestyk, Big Wednesday, Stir Crazy, and Valley Girl. She has also appeared in numerous television and stage productions.

Early life

Purcell was born at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina.[1] Her father, an aviator and Marine major, died when Purcell was a young child. She then lived with her grandparents[2] until her mother married Navy doctor Don Purcell. She has a half-sister, Paige.[3] Like many service personnel relatives, Purcell and her family moved multiple times to different states and military bases.[2] After the military service ended, they eventually settled in Paragould, Arkansas, where Purcell spent much of her youth. She graduated from their high school in 1965[3] and attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri from 1965-1967 as a dance and theatre student.[4][5] [6]

Career

Purcell in 1970

Purcell made her debut as a performer at 5 years of age, appearing on a Memphis, Tennessee TV show.[7] She arrived in California in 1967[8] and studied acting, writing, music and other arts. Casting off her southern accent was another goal she successfully worked on.[9] While refining her craft, Purcell supported herself by doing modeling assignments,[2] starring in commercials,[6] and selling clothes at a disco.[9] In 1969 Purcell was personally chosen for her first feature film by Steve McQueen in his company's production of Adam at Six A.M., co-starring Michael Douglas.[10] Asked to explain why he picked Purcell among nearly 500 other available actresses, McQueen said...

It wasn't easy. We kept narrowing down the field over a period of weeks until it came to giving screen tests to six of them. All of them were good, but Lee seemed to jump right out of the screen.

[11]

Purcell at the 1994 Emmy Awards

In the early 1970s Purcell temporarily moved to England, studying acting in London[12] under the private training of Professor Margot Lister.[13] During this time she frequently returned to the United States to act in American movies and TV shows.[14] Years later, she told a reporter..."I had a great time. I thought it was a permanent move. But I wasn't allowed to work there and it became difficult to go elsewhere to work."[9]

To prepare for her role as a 16-year-old high school student in the 1978 coming of age feature film Almost Summer, Purcell enrolled at North Hollywood High School in the junior class (with the secret assistance of the principal and teachers). Using the name of her character from the film, Purcell later recounted that the ruse was successful until she revealed her true identity to the other students.[15]

She portrayed actresses Billie Dove and Olivia de Havilland in two biopic TV movies: The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977)[16] and My Wicked, Wicked Ways...the Legend of Errol Flynn (1985).[17]

Purcell has been nominated for two Emmy Awards. The first occurred in 1991 in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress for Long Road Home starring opposite Mark Harmon[18] and the other in 1994 as Outstanding Supporting Actress for Secret Sins of the Father starring opposite Beau Bridges and Lloyd Bridges, directed by Beau Bridges.[19] She was co-producer, and starred in the 1998 HBO cable-TV movie Malaika (alternate title Tons of Trouble.)[20][21] Among her stage credits are Lady Anne in Richard III, Madge in Picnic, and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream.[7] Purcell's most recent work is the role of Eleanor Sullivan in the 2010 thirteen episode NBC-TV miniseries Persons Unknown.[22]

She was the co-owner of an award-winning video production company.[23]

Personal life

"We need to have dreams; they define us and make us what we are. No matter how young or how old we are, dreams are what feed us emotionally and spiritually."

Lee Purcell, in a 2010 interview[24]

Her third marriage produced a son, Dylan Purcell, who was briefly an actor.[15][25][26] The two appeared together in A Woman's Guide to Firearms, Malaika and The Unknown (alternate title Clawed: The Legend of Sasquatch.)[27]

She has competed in rodeos,[14] owned motorcycles,[2] and flown planes.[28] Purcell has produced, directed and performed narrations of poetry and fiction in front of live audiences and taught workshops that specialize in auditions for film and television.[29][30][31] She is a former NRA (National Rifle Association) director [32][33] and has been involved with Scientology.[34]

In December 2010 Purcell launched an interactive fashion and beauty website, BoomerBabes, that is geared towards women over 40 and Baby Boomer women born between 1946-1964.[35]

Charity work

Purcell is on the board of directors for Heart of a Horse, a non profit organization which seeks to rescue and rehabilitate abused and neglected horses. In addition, she works with VET (Veterans Entertainment Team), a military veterans assistance group.[2][36]

Filmography

Feature films

Year Film Role Director
1970 Adam at Six A.M. Jerri Jo Hopper Robert Scheerer
1972 Dirty Little Billy Berle Stan Dragoti
Stand Up and Be Counted Karen Hammond Jackie Cooper
Necromancy Priscilla Bert I. Gordon
1973 Kid Blue Molly Ford James Frawley
1974 Mr. Majestyk Wiley Richard Fleischer
1978 Big Wednesday Peggy Gordon John Milius
Almost Summer Christine Alexander Martin Davidson
1980 Stir Crazy Susan Sidney Poitier
1982 Airplane II: The Sequel Mrs. Seluchi Ken Finkleman
Homework Ms. Jackson James Beshears
1983 Eddie Macon's Run Jilly Buck Jeff Kanew
Valley Girl Beth Brent Martha Coolidge
1985 Space Rage Maggie Conrad E. Palmisano
1996 Movies, Money, Murder Lilah Stephen Eckelberry, Arthur Webb
1998 Dizzyland Dennis Hackin
2005 The Unknown aka Clawed: The Legend of Sasquatch Doris Winslow Karl Kozak

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1970 Marcus Welby, M.D. Cathy Cullen Made a second appearance in 1972, as 'Carol Lockett'
Bonanza Angie
The Young Rebels Maggie Todd
1972 Medical Center Liza
1973 Cannon Marian Luke Made two additional appearances in 1975, various characters
Hijack Eileen Noonan TV movie
1974 Wide World Mystery Donna
The Rockford Files Susan Parsons
1975 The Waltons Bobby Strom
Insight Tracy
Barnaby Jones Kathy Cooper Made a second appearance in 1977, as 'Peggy Giroux'
1976 Hawaii Five-0 Molly Taggert Made a second appearance in 1977, same character
Jigsaw John Virginia Sand
1977 The Amazing Howard Hughes Billie Dove TV movie
The Streets of San Francisco Carol Revson
1978 Stranger in Our House aka Summer of Fear Julia Trent TV movie
1979 Murder in Music City aka The Country Western Murders Samantha Hunt TV movie
A Man Called Sloane Michele Blake
1980 Kenny Rogers as the Gambler Jennie Reed TV movie
My Wife Next Door Lisa Pallick Pilot for proposed TV series
The Secret War of Jackie’s Girls Casey McCann TV movie
1981 The Girl, the Gold Watch and Dynamite Bonnie Lee Beaumont TV movie and pilot for proposed TV series
Killing at Hell’s Gate Jane Pasco TV movie
1982 The Phoenix Cindy Houghton
1985 Magnum, P.I. Goldie Morris
Murder, She Wrote Joanna Benson Made four additional appearances in 1986, 1989 and 1994, various characters
My Wicked, Wicked Ways...the Legend of Errol Flynn Olivia de Havilland TV movie
Hollywood Beat Maggie
1986 Betrayed by Innocence Sharon DeLeon TV movie
1987 Matlock Andrea Colter
MacGyver Shadow
1988 To Heal a Nation Sandie TV movie
The Incredible Hulk Returns Maggie Shaw TV movie
Jake and the Fatman Pamela Parker
1989 Simon & Simon Colleen Huntley/Missy Taylor
1990 Shades of LA Alex Taylor
1991 Long Road Home Bessie Robertson TV movie
1994 Secret Sins of the Father Ann Thielman TV movie
1995 Due South Louise St. Laurent Made five additional appearances in 1995 and 1996, same character
Dazzle Red TV movie
The Magic of Christmas Herself Holiday special
1997 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Dr. Kim O'Farrell
1998 Promised Land Beth Hixon
Malaika aka Tons of Trouble Molly DeMornay TV movie
Christmas in Hollywood Herself Holiday special
2010 Persons Unknown Eleanor Sullivan Mini-series. Five appearances

Special projects

Year Title Role Notes
1986 The Road to Freedom: L. Ron Hubbard and Friends Herself (singer) Video short and record album
1987 A Woman's Guide to Firearms Herself Instructional video
Your First Gun- A Family Guide To Shooting The mother Instructional video
1988 The Married Couple Video short
1992 The Joke Jane 35mm short
How to Use Dianetics: A Visual Guidebook to the Human Mind Video short
1996 Orientation: A Scientology Information Film LRH Communicator Video short
1997 This World, Then the Fireworks ADR work (additional dialogue recording)
2006 White Picket Fence Bonnie Durley Super 16mm short

Media related to Lee Purcell at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ^ John Willis' Screen World, Volume 32
  2. ^ a b c d e About Lee Purcell
  3. ^ a b Usgennet.org "Paragould Took Hats Off For Lee Purcell"
  4. ^ Columbia Missourian January 15, 1967 “Picnic in 2nd Week at Stephens”
  5. ^ Columbia Missourian September 21, 1969 “Adam Travels to Excelsior Springs”
  6. ^ a b Columbia Missourian November 26, 1972 “Success for Lee Purcell”
  7. ^ a b Filmreference.com--Lee Purcell Biography
  8. ^ The Sumter Daily Item-Dec 26, 1969
  9. ^ a b c Daily News, Bowling Green, KY May 8, 1981
  10. ^ 30 Years Ago Today: Actress Lee Purcell Remembers Her Mentor, Steve McQueen (2010 Internet interview)
  11. ^ Beaver County Times, September 25, 1969
  12. ^ Sun Sentinel-Fort Lauderdale February 26, 1985
  13. ^ Spotlight: Lee Purcell
  14. ^ a b Class Actress: An Interview with Lee Purcell (2009 Internet interview)
  15. ^ a b Schenectady Gazette March 30, 1977”
  16. ^ Times Daily April 11, 1977
  17. ^ Lakeland Ledger January 20, 1985
  18. ^ SunSentinel July 19, 1991
  19. ^ Los Angeles Times-Emmy Award Nominations July 22, 1994
  20. ^ inbaseline-Lee Purcell Credits
  21. ^ New York Times, production credits--Tons of Trouble
  22. ^ Interview with Starry Constellation Magazine
  23. ^ Chocolate is not better than Sex cast bio
  24. ^ 'If You Don't Follow Your Dreams, You're Dead': In Step With Actress Lee Purcell (2010 Internet interview)
  25. ^ Rome News-Tribune July 8, 1983
  26. ^ CelebrityPhoto.com July 31, 2008
  27. ^ The Unknown-IMDb page
  28. ^ The Milwaukee Journal February 24, 1976
  29. ^ Saint Hill International Arts Festival
  30. ^ Poetic Preservation A group of actors will perform traditional and contemporary cowboy writings at the Gene Autry museum
  31. ^ The Golden Age Theater
  32. ^ Crossfire: The War Behind the Closed Doors of the NRA
  33. ^ The Gun Zone
  34. ^ Richardson, John (September 11, 1993). "The Scientology church of Hollywood". The Globe and Mail (Thomas Canada Limited): p. D5.
  35. ^ BoomerBabes.com
  36. ^ About Heart of a Horse

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